Dear Johnnie: Can you learn whether the existing "empty" lane westbound on Nelson Road at Hover Street can be activated (with doubled turn lights, etc.) to permit two left-turn lanes onto Hover? When busy, and especially when blocked by inattentive drivers, the single lane often lets only two or three cars pass per light cycle. -- Waiting For Light.

Dear Waiting: Yes I can.

City traffic engineer Bob Ball says that yours is a good suggestion and that expanding to a second turn lane is something that the city has been considering.

"When this intersection was improved many years ago, we did not open this future second westbound left turn in order to allow westbound left turns to operate in protected-permissive mode," Ball wrote. "... A double left turn lane will require a protected-only red arrow. It's a tradeoff between a double left-turn lane better serving peak hour traffic vs. longer single left permissive green times that better serve lower non-peak traffic."

Protected-permissive mode is that which provides a "protected" green arrow, followed by a "permissive" phase with a solid green ball, which allows left turns as oncoming traffic allows. Permissive phases aren't used with double turn lanes.

Advertisement

"Over the years, the protected--permissive single left-turn lane worked better most of the day," Ball wrote. "With traffic volumes growing, permissive left turns are becoming more difficult, and this single left-turn lane has been experiencing more delay and backup recently during longer periods of the day."

Waiting, if the decision is made to go to two lanes, "we will need to make a few intersection improvements," Ball wrote.

MacIntyre feels Colorado is capable of making run at bowl gameCU BUFFS FALL CAMPWhen: 29 practices beginning Wednesday morning 8:30-11 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday practices are open to the media and public next week. Full Story

MacIntyre feels Colorado is capable of making run at bowl gameCU BUFFS FALL CAMPWhen: 29 practices beginning Wednesday morning 8:30-11 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday practices are open to the media and public next week. Full Story

It didn't take long for Denver music observers to notice Plume Varia. Husband and wife Shon and Cherie Cobbs formed the band only two years ago, but after about a year they started finding themselves on best-of lists and playing the scene's top venues. Full Story